Methods and devices for enabling cell selection or cell reselection procedures

Abstract

A method for operating a User Equipment, UE, in a wireless communication network. The method includes acquiring broadcast information comprising redirection information and performing a cell selection or cell reselection procedure based on the acquired broadcasted information. A corresponding UE and a computer program are also disclosed. There is also disclosed a method for operating a network node serving a User Equipment, UE, in a wireless communication network. The method includes broadcasting information having redirection information enabling the UEs to perform a cell selection or cell reselection procedure. A corresponding network node and computer program are also disclosed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, performed by a User Equipment, UE, in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 acquiring broadcasted system information comprising redirection information; and 
 performing one of a cell selection and cell reselection procedure based on the acquired broadcasted information, the performing the one of the cell selection and the cell reselection procedure being initiated during a connection resume procedure, where the UE is in an inactive state. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one of the cell selection and the cell reselection procedure is performed based on a pre -determined criterion to be fulfilled according to the redirection information. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the pre-determined criterion to be fulfilled comprises one or more of:
 that the resume cause for a possible connection resume procedure is comprised in the redirection information; and 
 that the access category for a possible connection resume procedure is comprised in the redirection information. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the acquired broadcasted information further comprises a mapping between one or more of the resume cause and the access category and at least one of the following:
 a redirection to a target Radio Access Technology, target RAT; 
 a redirection to a target serving cell; and 
 a redirection to a target frequency. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the redirection information is comprised in a broadcasted System Information Block, SIB. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the redirection information is comprised in an information element added to an existing SIB. 
     
     
       7. A method performed by a network node serving a User Equipment, UE, in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:
 broadcasting system information comprising redirection information enabling the UE to perform a cell selection or cell reselection procedure during a connection resume procedure, where the UE is in an inactive state; and 
 the redirection information comprising at least one of the following:
 a resume cause for a possible connection resume procedure for the UE; and 
 an access category for a possible connection resume procedure for the UE. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the redirection information further comprises a mapping between one or more of the resume cause, the establishment cause and the access categories and at least one of the following:
 a redirection to a target Radio Access Technology, target RAT; 
 a redirection to a target serving cell; and 
 a redirection to a target frequency. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 7 , wherein broadcasting information comprises broadcasting a System Information Block, SIB comprising the redirection information. 
     
     
       10. A User Equipment, UE, in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:
 communication circuitry configured to acquire broadcasted system information comprising redirection information; and 
 processing circuitry configured to perform one of a cell selection and a cell reselection procedure based on the acquired broadcasted information, the processing circuitry being configured to initiate the one of the cell selection and the cell reselection procedure during a connection resume procedure, where the UE is in an inactive state. 
 
     
     
       11. The User Equipment, UE, according to  claim 10 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the one of the cell selection and the cell reselection procedure based on a pre-determined criterion to be fulfilled by the redirection information. 
     
     
       12. The User Equipment, UE, according to  claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to perform the one of the cell selection and the cell reselection procedure based on at least one of:
 if the resume cause for a possible connection resume procedure is comprised in the redirection information; and 
 if the access category for a possible connection resume procedure is comprised in the redirection information. 
 
     
     
       13. The User Equipment, UE, according to  claim 10 , wherein the communication circuitry is configured to acquire broadcasted information that further comprises a mapping between one or more of the resume cause and the access category and at least one of the following:
 a redirection to a target Radio Access Technology, target RAT; 
 a redirection to a target serving cell; and 
 a redirection to a target frequency. 
 
     
     
       14. The User Equipment, UE, according to  claim 10 , wherein the communication circuitry is configured to acquire redirection information comprised in a broadcasted System Information Block, SIB. 
     
     
       15. The User Equipment, UE, according to  claim 10 , wherein the redirection information is comprised in an information element added to an existing SIB.